


Yessir

by peaceloveandjocularity



Category: MASH (TV)
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Episode: s08e15 Yessir That's Our Baby, M/M, Original Character - Freeform, Two Gays and a Baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:41:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25225507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peaceloveandjocularity/pseuds/peaceloveandjocularity
Summary: Haunted by the events of Yessir That's Our Baby, Charles is unable to give up a baby entrusted to him and Hawkeye.
Relationships: Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce & Honoria Winchester, Charles Emerson Winchester III & Honoria Winchester, Charles Emerson Winchester III/Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce
Comments: 3
Kudos: 30





	Yessir

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blue_raven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blue_raven/gifts).



Charles liked to wake up early. He’d drink his coffee, read the paper, cook breakfast should he want it, and then watch the sunrise. Hawkeye was quite the opposite. He’d sleep in as long as he possibly could, grab breakfast if Charles made it (starve all morning if he hadn’t), and drink his coffee. Then they’d both head off to work for nine o’clock. Charles enjoyed the schedule, the set hours. Hawk missed the unpredictability of the hours in Maine, with the near complete predictability of the illnesses. He craved the mundane flu symptoms and the broken arms— simplicity after Korea. 

Coffee cup in hand, Charles walked to the front door. It was quiet this morning. He looked out the window— not a cloud in the sky. He set his coffee cup on the entry room table and unlocked the door. He listened to the morning sounds and found next to none. There was a cat somewhere yowling. Charles grabbed the paper and stepped out onto the sidewalk. Where was that noise coming from? As far as Charles knew, there were no cats that roamed the area. 

He turned to walk back inside when the yowling turned into a breathy scream. Oh god, that was a baby. It wasn’t a cat; it was a baby. Charles dropped the paper and searched. The baby sounded close. He shoved aside the flowers lining the house and found a small bundle— a _tiny_ bundle. He hoisted the bundle into his arms and found a note pinned to her blanket, half ripped off its pin.

 _Dear Sirs,  
_ _I know you’re doctors. It’s why I’ve left the baby here. Her father is an abusive bastard and I’m running. I can’t take her with me. I named her Charlotte Elaine, but as long as you keep her safe, I won’t mind if you change it. I hope you understand why I have to do this, doctors. I love her with all my heart. Please take care of her._

Charles stared at the little bundle in his arms. What were the odds of this happening to him more than once in his lifetime? The odds had to be astronomical. He bundled her close to his chest, tucking her and her blanket beneath the top of his robe. She was freezing. 

Charles wasn’t quite sure what to do. His mind was clouded with thoughts of Korea. He hadn’t had to think on his feet like this in the four years since they’d been home. The baby curled into his chest, her whimpering ceasing and Charles looked down at her. She was still alive, wasn’t she? Charles shook her hand and she grasped his finger in his fist. Still alive, if not awake. He climbed the stairs to their bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed, shaking Hawkeye awake. 

“Good morning,” Hawk mumbled. “Happy anniversary. Your gift to me can be another hour of sleep.” 

“Anniversary’s off and dinner’s cancelled. Wake up.” 

Hearing the slightly frantic note to Charles’s voice, Hawkeye sat up and rubbed at his eyes. “What’s wrong?” 

Charles eased the baby out of his robe. “Someone felt it necessary to give us an anniversary present,” he said, cradling her. “She’s quite new. I think just a few hours.” 

Hawk’s eyes bolted open and he took her in his arms. He unwrapped the blanket from her and dropped it on the bed. It was damp with dew and definitely not keeping her warm. “Grab me a shirt, a sweater, something. We have to get her warmed up.” 

“Yes, of course.” Hawk was much better at thinking on his feet. Charles had always assumed it was the country living in him. Charles depended on technology way too much, possibly even more after Korea. He strode to the closet and grabbed the first thing his hand found— one of Hawkeye’s cardigans. 

“Her umbilical cord is tied off at least. It’s done well enough it shouldn’t cause any trouble.” Hawk reached into his bedside table and dragged out an old stethoscope. He hooked it in his ears and pressed the diaphragm to her chest. Her heart rate was fast, her breathing was rapid and shallow. “Give me the shirt,” Hawk said. He pulled his own off and cradled the baby to his chest, wrapping the sweater around them. “I don’t have a thermometer here but I’d be willing to bet she’s borderline hypothermic.” 

Charles watched as Hawk held her to his chest. His thumb traced along the edge of her hairline— dark like his own. Charles hadn’t been one to work with infants in his career— he quite hoped to avoid it in thoracic surgery— but Hawkeye looked completely comfortable with her. He’d been woken up and had no time to think but he had instinctively known what to do. 

“We’ll need to feed her somehow. Got any gloves here?” Hawk said with a soft smile. The baby was starting to move against his chest. “A syringe of some sort, maybe? Check my old medic pack.” 

Last Charles knew it was in the coat closet by the front door. It had made it there after they’d come home and as far as he knew, it hadn’t left. Charles left the room to search for the medic pack. Hawk stood up, cradling the baby to his chest, and walked downstairs to the den. He sunk into the chair and grabbed for the phone. He picked it up and held it to his ear before setting it back in the cradle. It wasn’t hardly 6 am. No one on this coast was awake let alone anyone on the other. 

He swiveled side to side in the chair, holding the baby. Hawk was so tired and the baby’s breathing was so calming. Hawk rocked her as she began to cry and tried not to think. This wasn’t Korea, they weren’t in trouble. They didn’t have to stay quiet. Hawk’s breathing raced and he held her close. Crying was good for her, crying meant she was warming up, that she was safe. 

“Do you have a name?” Charles walked past the doorway. “In here,” Hawk called to him. “I figured you’d hear her crying.” 

Charles walked over, cup of milk in one hand, medicine dropper in the other. “This is all we’ve got right now.” He looked at Hawk, his hands clenching at the sweater. “Are you alright?” 

“Just peachy,” Hawk said, grimacing. “Thinking about Korea. Thinking about— about the bus. I’m okay. I’m just thinking.” 

“Thinking with an increased heart rate. Let me take her.” Charles set the cup on the counter, tossed the medicine dropper in, and eased the baby into his arms. “Hello, tiny one.” 

Hawkeye’s hands clenched on the arms of the chair anxiously. “I was doing okay.” 

“I know,” Charles said placatingly. “I merely wanted to try and feed her.” He shifted the baby to one arm and filled the dropper with the other. She was tiny, her body spanned the length of Charles’s forearm and she rested easily in his hand. 

“Was there a note or anything? Where’d you find her?” 

Charles eased the dropper into the baby’s mouth and smiled as she suckled. “Her name is Charlotte. Her mother has to run from an abusive husband and can’t take her with him. She knows that we’re doctors and she wanted us to take care of her.” 

Hawk watched Charles refill the dropper and eased it back between her lips. “Who do we call? The police? An orphanage?” 

“No! No.” Charles pulled the dropper from her mouth and set it in the cup, using the sleeve of his robe to dab at the milk that trailed from her lips. “Why—” Charles trailed off and eased Charlotte up to his shoulder and pat her back. “We could keep her,” he whispered. “Couldn’t we?” 

Hawk stared at the pair of them. His heart ached at the sight. His head swirled with thoughts of what they could have. “We’d have to get some clothes, bottles. A crib. We don’t have anything for her here.” 

Charles eased Charlotte back to his forearm and grabbed the dropper again. “We have love. And a house, a lawn. Money. What if you and Honoria went shopping and got some of the other things?” Charles set the dropper back in the cup as Charlotte fell asleep, her body relaxing against Charles’s chest. “It hurt all of us to hand over that baby in Korea— why would we do it here? Would it not cause the same heartache?” 

“Who would take care of her during the day— while we’re at work?” Charles’s body stiffened. “I’m not saying no, I just think we should figure out logistics before your sister and I are caught baby shopping.”

“We could call Honoria; ask her if she’d be interested. If not, I’ll take off from work.” Charles leaned against the corner of the desk and looked at Hawkeye. “I can’t send her away.” 

“I never took you for such a dad,” Hawk teased with a tender smile. “Is Norie awake yet?” 

“It’s—” Charles looked down at his watch. “—just after 6:30. She’ll likely be sleeping but I couldn’t care less. Call her up. She’s far less likely to yell at you than me.” 

Hawk rolled his eyes at Charles but picked up the phone and dialed in Honoria’s number. “At least this early in the morning it’s unlikely anyone will be on the party line.” 

“It’s why I splurged for a private line. I can only hope Honoria has finally done the same.” 

Hawk swiveled in the chair and waited as the phone rang through. It picked up with a very grumpy “someone had b-b-better be d-dying.” 

“We’re doctors, Norie. We’d never let anyone just die on us, you know that.” Hawk stopped swiveling and stretched his legs out to rest against Charles’s. 

“If you’re aw-awake this early B-B-Benjamin, I can only assume the worst. What’s happening?” 

Hawk’s hand clenched at the arm of the chair. “We’ve got a baby.” There was silence on the other end of the line. “Honoria, are you still there?” 

“Just… wondering how that works log-logistically. I’m not a d-doctor but I don’t think that’s p-p-p-poss-possible.” 

“Could you come over here? Not right off, of course but—”

“I’ll be r-right over. Just let me get clean-cleaned up and dr-dressed. I’ll see you s-soon,” Honoria said, hanging up the phone before Hawk could say goodbye. 

Hawkeye placed the phone back in its cradle. “She’ll be over as soon as she gets cleaned up. Give me the baby— Charlotte, right?— and go get ready. I know you’ll hate hosting in your bathrobe.” He held his hands out for the baby and Charles transferred her over. “Me and little Charlie are gonna be alright,” he said, brushing a finger down her cheek. 

“Charlotte.” 

“Charlie. If you won’t let me call you Charlie, I’ll call her Charlie. Did she come with a middle name or a last name at all?” 

“Charlotte Elaine. No last name.” Charles looked down at Hawk as he stared at Charlotte. “She knew we were both doctors and that she could trust us— did you have any patients expecting that you think—” 

Hawk stared at Charlotte— the slight curve of her cheek, the pucker of her lips, her eyelashes dark against her porcelain skin. She really did look every bit the image of a doll. “I don’t know,” Hawk said. He was trying to pick out any features he could recognize. “Maybe.” He’d had a few patients at the practice who could fit the bill but he didn’t see many obstetric patients regularly. “Wait— there was one woman I saw a few times. I didn’t—” He trailed off. He didn’t know her husband. “I didn’t see her for obstetrics but she was pregnant when she came in. I thought her husband was hitting her but she denied it.” He paused. “What if someone comes to claim her?” 

“I’m not sure anyone will. There’s surely no proof of her existence. Beyond that note, there’s no proof that she couldn’t be one of ours or that anyone is likely to come looking for her. We’ll need a cover story of course, but our life is already full of them.” 

Hawk nodded. “You go get cleaned up and I’ll try to think of something.” Charles left the room and Hawkeye just stared at Charlotte. He’d always enjoyed the idea of having children before Korea, even through Korea he’d thought about settling down and having a couple kids, but eventually Korea had destroyed any good thought Hawkeye had. He was surprised Charles wanted anything to do with him, but here they were, celebrating their fifth anniversary together. 

The front door opened and Hawk smiled. Honoria must’ve driven like a speed demon to get over here so quickly. “Benjamin? Charles!” Hawkeye stood up, intending to go find her but she poked her head into the den just as he stood up. “There you are. Oh, Hawk-keye, she’s s-so p-p-precious. May I hold her?” 

“Let’s go to the living room.” Hawk stood up and followed Honoria to the living room. He laughed as she threw herself onto the couch cushion and reached her arms out, grabby hands at the ready. 

“Gimme.” Hawkeye lowered Charlotte into Honoria’s arms. “Oh Benjamin she’s so t-tiny.” 

“You’re just a giant like your brother,” Hawk joked. “But she _is_ tiny. I think maybe five pounds.” He watched as Honoria’s fingers traced over Charlotte’s cheeks. “Charles and I think we’re going to keep her,” he said quietly. “And we need your help.” 

“Absolutely,” Honoria said instantly. “Anything.” 

Hawkeye sunk to the couch next to her and laid his head on her shoulder. “I don’t know exactly what yet, but it’s gonna start with baby shopping— clothes, diapers, a crib, everything.” 

Honoria perked up. “Shop-pping? On Charles’s d-dime? Now I’m absolutely on board.” 

Charlotte started whimpering and Hawk tensed for a second before she quieted down. “We also need to come up with a cover story. Any ideas?” 

“Which one of y-you is the father in this s-s-story— you or Char-Charlie?” 

“As if Charles would ever have a dalliance. I think it’ll be easier for everyone to believe I had a child. Plus he’s got his reputation to worry about. She’s mine,” Hawk said. “She has to be. People already talk about Charles and I enough already.” 

“He doesn’t care about his rep-reputation, you know. N-not anymore.” 

“He cares enough. Besides your parents still give him enough attitude about settling down and getting married. A wife, Winchester heirs and all that. Charles Emerson Winchester IV. Blah blah blah.” Hawk’s heart ached for his husband— his… partner. Maybe if they could actually get married, their parents would get off his back. 

“Maybe she should b-be his then. Get mommy and d-daddy off his b-back. An heir, even a b-bastard heir would be better than n-none.” 

Charles walked into the room just then. “Plotting without me, you two?” 

“Your husb-b-band is trying to b-be n-n-noble.” 

“I’m just trying to come up with a cover story,” Hawk said, defending himself. “I think it would be best if we act like she’s mine. You have your…reputation and everything to worry about. I just have my position at the clinic.” 

“And I s-said she should b-be yours to get mommy and d-d-dad-daddy off your back. A new Winchester heir. M-maybe she could be m-mine. I think Hawkeye and I would m-make a n-n-nice little family,” Honoria said, mischievous glint to her eye. 

Charles narrowed his eyes at her. “And how do you explain away the lack of pregnancy symptoms for nine months?” 

“Luck. Plus she’s sm-small. Couldn’t we explain it away like th-th-that?” 

Hawk sat up, pushing away from Honoria. “No she’ll just be mine. Everyone would believe it.” 

“Sp-spoil sport,” Honoria teased. “Does she have a n-name?”

“Charlotte Elaine… Pierce,” Hawkeye said. “Besides, if she was a Winchester, she’d have the same initials as Charles. We have to keep those open for a ‘the fourth.’”

Charles’s gaze darted down to the baby. Was it coincidence or had her mother planned that? His office— was she one of his patients? Dr C. E. Winchester was on his office door, hospital documents, everything. Their mailbox. 

“Charlie?” Honoria asked. “You still with us?” 

“She must’ve been my patient— the mother.” He stared at Charlotte’s sleeping face. “C.E. Winchester is all over my office, my papers, everything. What is the probability of an infant being left on our porch with those very initials?” 

Hawk stared at the coffee table. “I— I used your initials to— you saved my life and it was a way to honor that? That makes sense, right?” He looked up at Charles. His eyes were wild. He was starting to spiral. “That makes sense?” 

Charles sat down beside Hawkeye and pulled him into his arms. “We don’t have to do this,” he whispered against Hawk’s hair. 

“No,” Hawk said sitting up. “We do. We have to. You want this so we have to.” 

Charles felt nauseated. How often had he expressed a similar sentiment to people in the past? “Absolutely not. We won’t do anything unless we’re in complete agreement.” Hawkeye curled into Charles’s side and Charles kissed his temple. “I’m sure this isn’t the anniversary you expected,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry.” 

“I have to go to the bathroom,” Hawk said, standing up and rushing out of the room. Charles sighed and sank back onto the couch. 

Honoria was quiet, staring at Charles. “You know he’s just s-s-scared, Charlie. If he didn’t wan-n-want her, he would have said so.” 

“I know,” Charles said. “May I have her?” Honoria handed her over and Charles adjusted the cardigan around her. “Could you imagine leaving your child on someone’s porch in the middle of the night? It’s lucky for us that I found her when I did. I just can’t fathom leaving a newborn on a porch with nothing more than a blanket and a note.” Charles stared at Charlotte. “Though I suppose I already have.” 

Charles still had some stories of Korea that he wouldn’t share. Honoria had heard pieces of this one from Hawkeye but she’d never heard Charles’s side of it. He didn’t seem too eager to offer it up either. 

“You don’t have to t-tell me,” Honoria said. “Not if it hurts.” 

“Oh,” Charles sighed. “It all hurts. Every bit of that last year hurts. But I got Hawkeye out of it, so it was more than worth it.” He blinked away tears as they welled up in his eyes. “I woke up to some noise. I just thought it was Hawkeye and BJ up to their usual antics until I realized it was a baby crying. They were throwing their jokes back and forth as usual and I just wanted them to be quiet so I could go back to sleep. So I went out to find the baby and she was just… abandoned outside our door. Her father was an American soldier and he was gone— I don’t know if the note meant dead or shipped out. But much like this little one here, her mother couldn’t take care of her and decided to leave her with doctors.” 

“Ch-Charles you don’t have to t-t-tell me if you don’t want to. I know en-en-n-nough.” 

“We couldn’t keep a baby in camp, of course. We searched the villages for her mother to no avail. Father Mulcahy informed us that as a child of mixed parentage, she’d likely be killed. Otherwise, she’d grow up ostracized— no friends, no family, and no home. So we sought out other alternatives— there had to be some, you’d think. But there was nothing. The Americans wouldn’t take her, the Koreans. No one wanted this precious little darling. The Winchester name didn’t even have any sway. So we dropped her off with some monks who would hopefully raise her and get her out of the country. We dropped her off in a small sliding door and rang a bell and just like that… she was gone.” 

“Oh, Charlie,” Honoria whispered. “I’m so s-s-sorry.

Charles wiped at a tear on his cheek. “There’s no way to know if she’s even still with the monks. We had this tiny ray of sunshine in the pits of hell and we had to send her away.” Charles looked down at Charlotte. “We may not be in hell anymore but why—” He took a shaky breath. “Why would I send away sunshine?” 

“Y-y-y-you don’t.” 

Hawk darted into the room. “Let me have her.” Charles handed her over and Hawk sat on the chair, laying Charlotte on his thighs. He wrapped a t shirt around her legs and pinned it into place, fashioned as a diaper. He eased a knit sweater over her head and eased her arms into the oversized sleeves. “I made this for Erin but I think she’ll understand.” Hawk lifted her up into his arms and turned her towards Honoria and Charles. “Everyone, meet Charlie Pierce. Her mother and I had a one-time dalliance and the prophylactics didn’t work. She never told me about her, just dropped her off one day, said she was leaving, and said that she didn’t want anything to do with her.” Hawkeye’s eyes were red from crying but his smile was bright and genuine. 

“Hawkeye are you sure?” Charles asked from the couch. 

Hawkeye nodded. “Absolutely. Yeah, let’s keep her.” Charles beamed. Hawkeye looked down at Charlotte who was blinking her eyes open. “Hi,” Hawk whispered. “Hi Charlotte. I’m gonna be your dad. We both are, me and Charles. You probably can’t see him way over there but he’s on the couch. And then next to him is your Aunt Honoria and that’s too much for a little mouth to say, so I think she’ll be alright with you calling her Aunt Norie.” 

“I’d love it,” Honoria said softly. “Hello Charlotte. I’m N-N-Norie.” 

“Honoria,” Charles corrected under his breath. 

Honoria glared at him and said “okay father” with a sneer. She turned back to Hawkeye and the baby. “Welcome to the family Charlotte.” 

Near silence lull filled the house. Birds were singing outside and the occasional car drove by, but it was Charlotte’s quiet sniffles that they all fixated on. 

“It’s the most beautiful sound I’ve heard,” Hawk whispered. “Oh god, we’re actually doing this. We’re having a baby.”

“It’s a bit l-l-late f-for those jitters, B-B-Ben. The b-b-baby’s already here,” Honoria deadpanned. 

Hawk rubbed gentle circles on Charlotte’s back. “And we don’t have a single thing for her. Is the plan still for Honoria and I to go shopping? I’ll have to get showered and dolled up. I can’t go out with a beautiful woman on my arm looking like I’m still half asleep,” Hawk said, winking at Honoria.

“If you’d like. Or Honoria and I can go if you’d prefer that.” 

Hawkeye looked down at Charlotte. “What time is it?” 

Charles looked down and checked his watch. “Nearly 8.” 

Hawk exhaled sharply. Time had flown. “I’m going to go call BJ. Five o’clock is a normal time for people to wake up. Not BJ of course but he can’t throw his pillow at me from across the country now can he?” He stood up, shifted Charlotte to his arm and walked back to the den, slumping in the chair. He was so tired.

He grabbed the phone and asked the operator to connect him— yes he’d accept the long-distance fees. His heart was pounding. As much as he loved his best friend, he wasn’t sure how he’d react— firstly, to being woken up at 5 am and secondly to Hawk and Charles raising a baby. 

Peg’s voice crackled through the speaker. “Hello?” Her voice was still thick with sleep. 

“Peg? It’s Hawk.” His own voice was thick with nerves. “Is BJ awake?” 

Just then, Hawk heard a rumbling “who’s that” in the background, to which Peg replied ‘Hawk.” 

“Hawkeye?” BJ said, after Peg handed the phone over. “Is everything okay? What’s going on?” 

Hawk eyeballed the open den door and stood up to close it, stretching the phone cord as long as it could reach. He sat back in the chair. “I’m freaking out,” he said softly. “Charles and I…” How to word this. “Remember the baby in Korea?”

“There were lots of babies in Korea, Hawk…” BJ said carefully. 

“The one left outside the Swamp.” Hawk pushed the phone to his ear with his shoulder so he could bite at his thumb. BJ murmured quietly. “It’s happened again, but in Boston.” Hawk took a shaky breath. “We’re going to keep her.” 

BJ cheered for them, maybe a little louder for someone who still had kids sleeping. “Hawk that’s great. How are— happy anniversary to you two, first of all— how are you holding up?”

“I’m already in love with her,” Hawkeye admitted. “I’m terrified. Is it supposed to be this terrifying?” 

“Peg and I had months to adjust before we had Erin and we were still terrified when she arrived. Same went for Benny. Kids are scary, Hawk, but loving them and watching them grow is so, so rewarding.” There was a slight pause while BJ yawned. “You’ll do great, Hawk. I’m gonna try and catch a bit more sleep, alright? Call me if you need anything.” 

“Alright,” Hawk said, and they each hung up the phone. 

A tentative knock sounded on the den door before Charles poked his head in. “May I come in?” Hawk nodded and Charles stepped in the door. “Honoria and I have decided we’ll go shopping. Would that be alright? Do you need anything before we go?” 

Hawk smiled tiredly at him. “I’m fine,” he said. “BJ said happy anniversary.” 

“Give my thanks to him and that darling Peg next time you speak.” Charles leaned down to kiss Hawkeye. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, I promise,” he whispered against Hawk’s cheek. “Are you sure you can handle it?” 

Hawk looked down at Charlotte, sucking on his knuckle. “Yeah I think we’ll be okay.” The doctor in him was still worried about her health, the veteran terrified of what could happen, but he was ecstatic at the thought of a baby, all those fears were getting pushed into the background. “We’re going to be just fine, Charles. The faster you go, the faster you can get back.” 

Charles kissed him again, cupped Charlotte’s face in his hand, and followed Honoria out the door. She waited impatiently as he climbed in Hawk’s car, a blissful smile on his face. 

“If you’re going t-to look like that all d-day, give m-me the keys. I’ll drive.” Honoria started pushing Charles toward the door. “Ow, stop it, I’m moving!” Charles turned on the car and backed out of the driveway. “Mother never believed me that you were the instigator.” 

“I w-w-wouldn’t in-nstigate if you’d just m-move faster.” 

Charles drove to the store, silently as not to instigate Honoria further. Of course, his silence proved to instigate her well enough on its own. She stared at him from the passenger seat but he just kept his gaze forward and drove into the city. They parked outside the store and Charles sat in place, leaning back. 

“What?” 

Charles looked over at Honoria at last, their gazes meeting. “Hawkeye and I both work— nearly every day. We could use someone to watch Charlotte, if you’d like.” 

“If I’d l-l-like? Charlie, I’d love t-to.” Honoria grabbed his hand and rubbed her thumb soothingly across his knuckles. “Let’s go sp-p-spend your m-money.” She climbed out of the car and slammed the door, waiting for Charles to get out. “Well come on,” she said. “We haven’t got all d-day.” 

Charles snagged the keys and shoved them in his pocket, grabbed his wallet, and closed the door. He followed Honoria as she strode to the store. 

The manager met them near the door. “Miss Winchester. Mr Winchester, how may I be of assistance today?” 

Before Charles could speak up, Honoria did. “We have a f-friend who n-n-needs baby supplies.” 

“A crib, bottles, clothing— he needs everything,” Charles said. “We were hoping to get as much as we can here.” 

The man nodded. “Of course, sir. Follow me.” The man turned and walked towards the back of the store. 

Honoria reached over and punched Charles in the arm. “You c-cut me off-f.” 

“Apologies,” Charles said, rubbing his arm. “I’m just… nervous. Maybe Hawkeye should have come with you instead.” 

“You would leave B-Benjamin and I in ch-charge of your pocketbook? Dangerous p-p-precedent to s-set.” 

Charles let Honoria lead him behind the store manager— Charles knew his name but damn if it hadn’t escaped him— and they eventually ended up surrounded by baby supplies. 

Honoria picked up a small dress off the rack and cooed over it. “Now I might s-settle d-down and f-f-find a husband just so I can b-buy more baby cloth-thes. Look how d-darling!”

Charles rolled his eyes fondly as he looked at the racks around him. He was far, far out of his element here. He was definitely feeling like a fish out of water as Honoria swam through the racks. She’d managed to snag a cart from somewhere and was trying to decide between a light blue and a light yellow shirt. 

“Which c-c-color do you th-think she’ll l-l-look best in? She’s g-got similar coloring to B-Benjamin, don’t you think?” 

“Hawkeye looks best in blue and red,” Charles said distractedly. He was staring at a box of cloth diapers. He grabbed a few boxes and tossed them in the cart. Then grabbed a few more. He searched the rack. “You think they’d keep diaper pins near the diapers, wouldn’t you?” 

Honoria glanced over at the shelf and pointed. “Right there.” She looked at Charles’s flushed face. “You okay?” 

“Overwhelmed,” he said. “I should have made a list before I left the house. Now I can’t think of anything we need.” 

Honoria rolled her eyes and pulled a list from her purse. “I knew th-this would hap-happen.” 

Charles took the list and skimmed it, breathing a sigh of relief. “Thank you.” _Alright_ , he thought, _bottles, diapers and pins, burp cloths, bottle brush, diaper cloths, wash cloths, clothes, crib— mattress, mattress covers?, sheets, blankets._ Charles looked around and found the cribs and sheets all placed together. He wandered over there while Honoria was searching through the clothes. 

Honoria was placing clothes into the cart very sparingly— she’d just heard Sergeant Klinger and his bride were looking for some business at his seamster’s shop in Toledo. She was sure she could finagle her way into getting some cute clothes from him. She thought back to her list and grabbed feeding supplies and set them in the cart— bottles, nipples, burp cloths. She thought about formula but decided she’d ask first. She snagged a bottle brush as she walked past them and tossed that onto the growing pile in the cart. She looked at the pile in the cart and looped back to where the washcloths were and tossed a few packages in— some for diapering and some for bath time. 

Charles was crouched over a box, looking at crib specifications. He pulled a box out and nodded approvingly at it. He startled a bit to find Honoria standing behind him but he pulled the crib and laid it across the top of the cart. 

“You have the l-list but I think we’re near-r-nearly done. At least with the basic nec-ess-ss— necess-ess— necessities.” 

Charles looked through the cart basket and compared it to the list. “We need sheets and blankets and I believe that’s all we’ll need for now.” He grabbed a set of crib sheets from the shelf— “grab two”— two sets of crib sheets and tossed them into the cart before looking at the blankets. His hand traced over the blankets. He knew Hawkeye was very tactile and he couldn’t stand certain textures against his skin. His hand ran along a blanket that was especially soft and he seized it immediately, holding it in his arms. “Alright, I think we’re done,” he said. 

Honoria pushed the cart to the cash register and Charles followed mutely. The weight of today was starting to hit him. “Honoria, send this stuff through. Sir, get a total and let her leave, I have to grab a gift. I’ll pay for it all on the way out. Norie I’ll meet you in the car.” Charles darted off. He had no idea what he was going to get Hawkeye. 

Honoria watched him run off. “Exc-cuse my brother, please. It’s b-b-been a rough morning for him.” 

The cashier’s eyes lit up at the thought of some high class gossip. The manager came up and sent him off to go elsewhere though, choosing to ring up the total himself instead. “How is your brother today, Miss Winchester?” 

“F-frazzled, I’m afraid. You know Hawk-k— Hawkeye that lives with him-m? A baby was d-dropped on his front s-steps, abandoned by her m-mother. A dalliance in which prophylactics f-failed. Hawkeye n-n-n-nev-never knew the b-baby existed until today. She’s only a f-f-few hours old and he has n-nothing to care for her with. So Ch-Charles and I are getting him some supp-supplies.” 

The manager— Mr Easton— looked at her aghast. “Oh how awful,” he bemoaned. “A baby left on the front steps? This morning was so damp and cold! Is she alright?” He bagged the clothes, carefully folding them and set the bags in the cart.

“Charles and Hawkeye are b-both doct-doctors. I’m sure she’ll be f-fine.” 

Mr Easton smiled at her. “Will this be going on your brother’s account today?” 

“He’s getting a gif-ft first, then he’ll b-be through to pay.” 

“Of course. Do you need assistance in bringing these things to your car?” 

“No thank you, M-Mr Easton,” Honoria said. “G-g-good day.” 

“Good day, Miss Winchester.” 

Honoria pushed the cart out to the car and started loading things in the back. She watched the store, waiting for Charles to come out from the storefront. As she returned the cart, she scanned the store for Charles before going back to sit in the car. It wasn’t quite hot yet but it was warming up to the point where she hoped Charles didn’t take too long. She rolled down the windows.

Honoria watched as people walked in and out of the store. Finally Charles walked out, his hands shoved in his pockets. “I sat here f-for—” Honoria looked at her watch. “—s-s-seven-seventeen minutes for you to buy n-nothing?” 

“I bought all the things you brought out here, technically.” Charles climbed in the car and turned it on. “Nothing seemed right. This gift has to apologize for having to cancel dinner tonight.” 

Honoria slumped back into her seat and groaned exasperatedly. “You know mother would die if she saw you acting like such.” 

“Mom-mmy gave up on me b-b-being a l-lady a long time ago. Just p-p-p-pick him-m some flowers on-n the s-s-s-side of the r-road.” 

Charles gripped the wheel and stared at his hands before turning to Honoria. “Hawk deserves so much more than flowers.” 

“He w-won’t want anything m-more. He wants you. N-not flowers. God only kn-kn-knows how he’s p-put up w-with you for five y-y-years.” 

Charles smiled at that. _Five years_. He backed the car out of its parking lot and turned out onto the road. “Five years,” he said to Honoria. “He’s put up with me for five years.” 

They rode home in comfortable silence until Charles pulled off onto the side of the road. Someone had planted lilies along the ditch many years ago and they’d multiplied over the years. 

“W-what are you d-d-d-doing?” 

Charles leaned over and dug through the glove box for the knife Hawk always left in there, wrapping his hand around it triumphantly. “Getting Hawkeye some flowers,” he said with a grin. Honoria just smiled as he jogged across the road and began cutting the stems. He grabbed a dozen or so flowers and arranged them neatly in his hands. He climbed back in the car and closed the door, handing the flowers to Honoria. 

“Calla lilies,” she said. “They’re b-b-beautiful.” Her fingers played with the petals and Charles looked over at them in her lap. “He w-w-would have l-lik-k— liked wildflowers t-too, you know. That’s what I m-meant.” 

“Why would I pass up an opportunity to give Hawkeye beautiful flowers like that?” Charles said with a grin. He pulled into the driveway and parked the car. “I’ll bring these into Hawkeye and come out to help grab the supplies.” Charles grabbed a bag from the back seat in one arm, the lilies in the other, and headed into the house. “Hawkeye?” 

Charles set the bag on the counter and walked into the living room. Hawk and Charlotte weren’t on the couch anymore. He frowned, but set the flowers on the table and walked out to help Honoria carry in the rest of the bags. It was only fair, technically they _were_ his purchases. They carried them in, Honoria hip checking Charles as he walked past and she dissolved into a fit of laughter. At last they carried in the last bag and Charles set it on the table. “Thank you,” Charles said. “For everything.” 

Honoria pulled Charles into a hug. “I l-l-love you. I’ll l-l-let you two s-s-s-settle in with Charlotte. I’ll be b-b-back in the m-morning, okay? Give Hawk and Charlotte my l-love.” 

Charles pulled back from the hug and cupped the back of Honoria’s head. “I will. I’ll see you in the morning.” 

Honoria grabbed the lilies and set them in Charles’s hand. “Happy an-n-n-nniversary,” she said, waking out the door. Charles stared at the flowers in his hand and slipped his shoes off, setting them in the closet. He walked through the house, checking Hawkeye’s usual spots before heading up to their bedroom. “Hawkeye? Darling?” Charles pressed open the door and stepped in, his heart racing in his chest. 

Hawkeye was asleep, leaning up against the headboard. A new knitting project was half finished— a blanket— across Hawk’s lap. Charlotte was asleep on his chest, her cheek squished against Hawkeye’s breastbone. 

Charles walked over and eased the knitting project from Hawk’s lap and rewrapped the yarn, setting it on the bedside table. He pulled Erin’s sweater over Charlotte’s feet and smiled at the pair. They were his family. 

And oh god, he loved them more than life itself.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr 
> 
> @welcometokorea 
> 
> and 
> 
> @peaceloveandjocularity


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